Solace
by Malachite Aoi
Summary: AUish. What are Zack and Tifa left to do when the ones they love are living happily ever after without them? Cleris/Fack
1. Here, Aren't I?

Disclaimer: FF7 and all of its places, characters, events, etc

Disclaimer: FF7 and all of its places, characters, events, etc. in no way, shape or form belong to me. I'm just borrowing them, so don't sue!

Summary: Sort-of AUish…this is more like what would happen if no one had died (well, 'cept maybe Sephiroth…). Clerith and Fack. With the loves of their lives living happily ever after without them, maybe two lonesome survivors can make it through somehow.

A/n: I understand that because of the nature of all the spinoffs and sequels and prequels and whatnot that these circumstances seem pretty out there. There is a good chance I might even try to reason my way around some of the more constricting elements. Consider this a mostly AU story if you have to then, and just go with it. Please don't flame me because my chronology is bad, or my story isn't backed up by actual events. I am aware of this. Thankees!

"I have nothing bad to say about my friend."

Zack was nursing a drink at Tifa's new bar, carefully trying to dodge the questions that the busty brunette threw his way. Although he was definitely the kind of guy who liked to indulge and have fun, he did realize that she only kept refilling his glass in hopes of getting him drunk enough to spill. But what could he possibly say to offer the kind of solace she so desperately craved?

There was definitely no doubt that he was devastated as well. After all that he – that they – had been through, he had really hoped that Aeris would see the light and love him in the end. But all the time that they had lost wasn't something that they could easily make up for. And her attachment to Cloud barred his way. His friend had no way of knowing what had happened in the past. It's not like he did it intentionally. And even if he had, what right would Zack have to balk? He was dead; or so it seemed. Most importantly, they were so happy together. How could he interfere with that and still keep a sense of honor?

Turning his attention back to the moment at hand, he was startled by the intensity of the gaze that Tifa shot him.

"Is it really so easy for you to let go?"

"Well, I'm at a busy bar, with a beautiful lady. What more could I ask for?"

Rolling her eyes, Tifa tried hard to fight back the crack in her voice.

"How could they do this to us? It's not like they were oblivious to what we feel."

"Don't you think you're being a bit one-sided here? What about how they feel? Of all the things you want most in this world, don't you want the one you love to be happy?"

"Of course I do!" She snapped. "But sometimes, I just get through thinking how much happier _I _would be if I loved myself a little too. Don't you feel the same, Zack? Don't you want to be happy too?"

"Who doesn't? But just knowing that the one I love is happy is good enough for me. It's more than I could have hoped for, if not to have her myself. Moreover, the fact that she's with someone I know and trust, and who is grateful to have her around reassures me that no matter what, everything will be okay. "

"Yeah, sure. Sometimes maybe 'okay' just isn't good enough."

"Tifa...you gotta look at it from their perspective. They're so happy together. They're doing so well. If you broke that up, do you really think that would be what they would want? Do you think you'd get the resolution you want, too?"

Exasperated by Zack's overwhelmingly forgiving personality and good nature (and unintentionally hurtful words), she slammed down the bottle of liquor she was toying with next to Zack's glass and stormed off to get lost in the crush of the full bar for just a moment; a moment of solace for herself.

Zack tilted his head and frowned pensively. Twirling the half-full glass in his fingers, he wondered idly if there was anything he could do to try and help Tifa out. He didn't like to see people hurt, and he'd only seen her like this once before. He hadn't known her very well then, but at that moment too, she had just lost someone she loved without measure…

Taking a sip from his glass and setting it back down, he got up to follow her into the crush of people. Before he could take more than two steps from the counter, a little boy and a little girl blocked his way.

"Hey there. What can I do for you?"

"Zack, is Tifa okay?"

The blue-eyed ex-SOLDIER took a knee so that he could look her in the eye as he tried to find a way to answer her question.

"Well, to tell the truth, she's having a bit of a hard time adjusting to the way things are now --"

"Is she sad because Aeris and Cloud are together?"

Marlene was exceptionally sharp for a girl so young.

"Why would she be sad? Cloud's around more often now, and he smiles a lot more!"

"You're right, Denzel. Tifa should be very happy that two people she genuinely cares about are happy with each other. And to a degree, you're right too Marlene. Someday when you two are older, maybe you'll understand this better. But for now, just know that Tifa is having a hard time adjusting to the distance between herself and all of her friends. Everyone has more or less gone back to their hometowns; trying to rebuild their lives. So if you really want to help, make sure you're there for her as much as possible to let her know that she isn't alone. Alright?"

"But, Zack...Tifa should know that she's not alone; even without us. You're here, aren't you?"

Although he was taken aback by the forwardness of Marlene's response, he couldn't help but smile at her and nod.

"Yeah, I am."

Patting both children affectionately on the head, he stood and took off after Tifa.

He wasn't surprised to find her outside, gazing up at the sky. She was twisting the Cloudy Wolf ring on her finger, and didn't notice Zack standing in the doorway looking at her. Creeping up from behind her, he poked his head over her shoulder and barely missed being elbowed in the face.

"Hey, I was only checking to see what you were up to, nothing fishy here!"

"Zack! You scared me. What are you doing out here?"

Her earlier anger at him seemed to have dissipated in the time he had spent talking to Denzel and Marlene.

"I just told you. I wanted to know what you were up to."

"Nothing really..."

"Say...don't you have a bar to run?"

"You just don't know when to quit, do you?"

He shot her a toothy grin.

"No, never."

"Well, at any rate, I suppose you're right There's no excuse for me to neglect the bar. I mean, it's all I've got left in life."

Turning to walk back into Seventh Heaven, she was stopped by Zack grabbing gently at her arm.

"That's not true. Right now it may feel that way, but you know it's not the truth at all. You have this bar. You have loyal customers. You've got friends who care a lot about you and two kids in there that need you more than you know."

"And where exactly do you come in?"

"That's for you to decide, I guess."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"How about a date? Just one."

"You're hopeless."

Pushing him gently off to the side and shooting him a small smile, she continued to walk back into the bar. He smiled back at her retreating form before tucking his hands behind his head and gazing up at the sky. He had barely heard the whisper that followed, but he heard it nonetheless.

"Thank you...Zack."

But by the time he had turned around, she was already gone.


	2. Good Morning, Sunshine

Disclaimer: Same as always!

AN: Just to keep the ball rolling. Enjoy! Thanks for reading and/or reviewing!

Seventh Heaven had been late to close last night. The patrons were in especially celebratory spirits because of the upcoming weekend. The weeks were long and arduous; most people spent their time at busy jobs, trying to make heads and tails of all the things that had happened in the past couple of years. Cities were being rebuilt. Families were trying to find a sense of normalcy in everyday life. And if one looked a stranger in the eye long enough, you could still see that spark of fear in them. What -- if anything -- would come next? Most people couldn't even fathom it. So they drowned themselves in hard work and busy schedules, and tried their best to make the most out of every free moment they had.

But it was Tifa, whom at the end of the night, cleaned up the remnants of these free moments and worked herself hard so that others could have a good time. Maybe that's why she even came to work in a bar in the first place. She liked knowing that she was contributing to the happiness of others. More recently she had even grown fond of the constant demands of her job. It kept her from thinking too hard about all the things in her life that had gone wrong. It kept her from thinking about all that was broken that could not be rebuilt.

She wondered how different things would be now if she had only been kinder to a few people back when it really mattered...

Barret had stopped by last night, while she was closing the bar, to pick up Marlene and Denzel. He wanted to take them out for a play date because he finally had some time off to do so. Tifa was both grateful and sad at the same time. On the one hand, this would mean she could sleep in, and get some things done without worrying too much about leaving the kids alone. On the other, it would mean that she was the one left to herself. At least Denzel and Marlene had each other. Who did she have?

An incessant pounding at the door shook Tifa to consciousness somewhere around nine in the morning. She was surprised to see a certain brunette standing outside, a bit impatient, with a lopsided grin on his face. As soon as he heard the lock click he eagerly swaggered inside, not looking a bit like he had been up until three in the morning, drinking nearly half a handle of alcohol.

"Gooooood morning!"

Tifa frowned a bit, refusing to let herself smile at his chipper antics.

"Zack, it's really early. What are you doing here?"

"I just thought since I'm sure you missed the sunrise that you should still be able to wake up and see something amazing. So, here I am. Oh! And also, I brought you something."

Pulling out a small bouquet of yellow and white flowers that he had tucked into his waistband, he handed them over to his friend. There was the first hint of a steely look before she muttered a small 'thank you'.

"These don't happen to be from --"

"--A little old lady down the street where I live. She tells me I look like her son. He's a traveling merchant so she doesn't get to see him much. She sells the flowers she grows in her yard to keep herself active. I thought they'd brighten up the bar."

Tifa cocked her head and looked at Zack with a mixed look of wariness and confusion. She wasn't used to be around someone so open and so --

"So whatcha doin' today?"

"Denzel and Marlene are with Barret. I thought I would sleep in and get some errands done this afternoon." She shot him a very pointed look.

Zack put his hands together and gave her a guilty look.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to wake you up. I was only kidding about that sunrise thing..."

"Don't worry about it. Really. I'm sure it's better that I'm up now anyhow. I can get all my stuff done earlier, and I could use the free time."

"Hey, I've got some errands to run today too. Mind if I tag along?"

Zack had walked into the kitchen and turned a chair around to sit in while he looked up at Tifa inquisitively. She returned the gaze for a second, thinking to herself how much he looked like a stray puppy that hoped you didn't mind when it followed you around. She couldn't help but shake her head and smile.

"Sure. I don't see why not."

"So, does that make it a date?"

Picking up a dirty dishrag, she chucked it squarely at Zack's face.

"I'm going to go take a shower and change. Try not to get in any trouble while I'm gone." She turned to walk back upstairs and hesitated just for a moment.

"If...if you're hungry, there's some stuff in the fridge. Help yourself!"

Not quite knowing why she was so embarrassed by being so welcoming towards the dark-haired man, she walked off in a hurry.

Zack picked a fruit from out of the bowl at the center of the table he was seated at. Nibbling idly at the apple, he rocked the chair back on two legs and propped his feet on the table, wondering what he was doing, and why.

It didn't seem like so long ago that she had told him she hated him. After all, he was part of the company that had cost her everything in life that she loved. Her friends, her family. Her home, her town. It was even sort of their fault that she had lost Cloud; but only in an abstract kind of way. He could still remember the flush on her face when she had apologized to him for being so judgemental towards him. She had been young and hurt. He didn't even give it a second thought when he told her that she had no reason to apologize to him. He may not know what she'd gone through, but he understood, and there were no hard feelings. From that point on they worked at something of a tentative friendship. It was only very recently that they had become better friends. But, that, was a story for another time.

He heard the water start as he chomped away on his apple, wondering what was next.


	3. Strife Delivery Service?

Disclaimer: Same as usual!

A/n: I did a little bit of tweaking on the past couple of chapters, so if you're interested in re-reading them for fun or whatever, feel free to check them out. The plot didn't change at all, it was mostly fixes to grammatical errors, repetition, and just making things sound better. Hope you like it. Thanks for reading and/or reviewing!

Zack was trying his best to conjure up some "errands" to do when he heard Tifa descending the stairs. He didn't really need to do anything today; he just thought he should keep her company. Marlene's words rang through his head even as he drifted off into a half-sober sleep last night:

"_...You're here, aren't you?"_

He didn't want to let the bright-eyed little girl down.

"_Well,_" he thought to himself, "_I guess it wouldn't kill me to go to the store and get a couple of things. I don't really need them but since I'll be out anyway..._"

"Are you ready to go?"

Tifa stood in the doorway, her hair wet and shining, dressed in her usual black, knee-length shorts and Converse. Her customary vest was missing today. Zack couldn't help but smile when he looked at her. She looked a lot younger this way for some reason. Her long, dark hair stood out against the whiteness of her shirt. It was a casual, relaxed Tifa that had seldom been seen for a while now.

"You bet. Hey, where we headed to first?"

"The Wall Market. There are a few things there that I need to pick up and drop off."

The Wall Market was no longer a slummy pseudo-shopping center reeking of pee and unwashed bodies. It had been relocated and rebuilt a little outside the city of Edge. There were still some places that had been made exactly the same as a sort of monument to its predecessor. The Honeybee Inn towered over most of the other buildings; its flashing lights and neon signs served as a beacon to deviants for miles around. Mr. Hayashi still ran a little dress shop, and Aniki and his crew still had a gym where they challenged all comers to squat competitions. Of course there was also that kind-of dive-y restaurant that served some pretty good Korean BBQ plates. But it was a sign of the times that computer stores, auto repair shops, jewelers, boutiques, and all kinds of other fashionable places to spend money, had also begun to crop up in the shopping epicenter.

"Did you want to take my bike?"

"That would be fun, but I have some stuff I have to deliver, so I thought it would be better if we took the van."

"Deliver?" Zack frowned. "I thought that was Cloud's job. After all, it is named 'STRIFE Delivery Service', isn't it?"

Tifa stiffened and a tic developed in her jaw as she tried to calmly explain why Mister Strife himself couldn't do it.

"He said that he was...busy...today. So he asked if I could do him a favor and take a shipment of vegetables over to Mrs. Kang. She's the lady who runs the restaurant there."

The blue-eyed brunette knew better than to push this subject any further.

"Alright then, where are these vegetables? I can't have you carrying them all by yourself."

About a half hour later the pair were finally on their way to Wall Market. Lifting all those crates of vegetables had been a good workout for Zack. He didn't realize how out of shape he had become until he noticed that for every two crates he managed to put in the truck, Tifa was able to handle three. A slightly awkward silence started the one-hour drive, but was soon replaced by Zack's energetic questioning.

"I was just thinking --"

"That's not a good sign..."

"Hey!! Anyway, I was thinkin' about how we really don't know much about each other. I wanna get to know you. You're my friend now, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"So shouldn't we know _something_ about one another?"

"Like what?"

"Just the basics. You know...what your favorite color is. Your favorite food. That kind of stuff."

"Blue. Italian."

"Blue. Anything that tastes good. Favorite drink?"

"Hmm. Water, I suppose."

"Lemonade. If you could go on vacation anywhere on Gaia, where would it be?"

"I actually don't mind where I'm at right now. Although, I suppose that villa in Costa Del Sol could use a little occupancy once in a while."

"Costa Del Sol..." The name rang clear in his head as though he should have remembered it. There were flashes of things that felt like he had only dreamed them up. But he wasn't ready to tell anyone just yet that since he had come out of stasis there were things here and there that he didn't recall as well as others.

"How about you?"

"Midgar."

Tifa frowned. "Some vacation. Those are just ruins now."

"I know. But there's something there that calls to me still. I can't explain it."

"I understand. Your favorite band?"

"The Black Mages."

And so upon arriving at the Wall Market, both Zack and Tifa could recite superficial biographies about each other.

Zack Fair is a 26 year old ex-SOLDIER with blue eyes and black hair, from Gongaga. He will eat anything tasty, but is partial to drinking lemonade. His favorite band is The Black Mages and he prefers rock to most other genres of music, despite liking all of them to some extent. He likes to play guitar, but isn't necessarily good at it. His favorite smell is the ocean. He dislikes unnecessary conflict, physics, and oranges. He likes the color blue and wants to someday take an extended visit to Midgar.

Tifa Lockheart is a 22 year old bartender with chocolate brown eyes and dark brown hair from Nibelheim. She really likes Italian food and prefers water to any other beverage. Her favorite band is YRP. Her musical tastes also run the gamut of genres. In her spare time she likes to spar to keep in shape, or learn how to cook new things or make new drinks to keep her bar up-to-date. She likes the smell of certain colognes and gasoline. She dislikes solitude, bugs and tomatoes. Her favorite color is also blue, and she wants to vacation in Costa Del Sol sometime in the near future.

Tifa got out of the truck and let Mrs. Kang know that she was here to deliver the vegetables. The little old lady followed her back to the truck and was startled to find Zack already beginning to unload the crates.

"Oh my. Is this your new boyfriend?"

"No," Tifa said, blushing. "This is my friend --"

"Zack Fair. Nice to meet you!"

"My, what a nice young man. This one's a keeper!"

Zack's eyebrows shot up as Tifa blushed profusely and covered her face with her hands.

"So...Uh...where do you want me to put these?"

"Come, I'll show you. And please, stay for lunch! It's the least I could do for you!"

Continuing to load the vegetables onto the handcart Mr. Kang had brought out to his wife, Zack grinned surreptitiously at the color of Tifa's face.

After all; red was quite flattering on her.


	4. Awkward, Unexpected

Disclaimer: Same as always!

AN: Thanks for hanging in there guys! Sorry this chapter is so short, I just wanted to prove that this story isn't dead quite yet. Also, for you "Of Kingdoms and Princes" readers, another chapter is on its way so stay tuned!

After dropping off the last crate in the storage room of the restaurant Zack and Tifa sat down to a hearty lunch made by the proprietress herself. Everything smelled delicious. Set at the table were two bowls of seaweed soup, barbeque beef, barbeque chicken, rice and a few side dishes of what appeared to be bean sprouts and pickled vegetables. There was also a strange dish that Tifa could have sworn were Gyashl greens mixed with Zeio nuts, but she opted to keep quiet as soon as she saw Zack eagerly dip his chopsticks into the bowl.

"Hey, this stuff's pretty good. What's in it?"

Mrs. Kang walked right by as Zack asked the question, leaving Tifa to cringe on his behalf as the answer fled from the old woman's lips.

"Oh that? That would be our special invigoration mix. It's a blend of Gyashl greens and Zeio nuts. Ordinarily those are--"

"...Fed to Chocobos."

The disgust in his voice was well-masked, but still noticeable to his companion, who was desperately trying to stifle a giggle.

"--For breeding purposes! But we've recently found out that it's a fantastic natural remedy for a lack of...let's say _vigor_, if you know what I mean."

"Wha...?"

"Why, thank you, Mrs. Kang. It's really quite delicious."

With the intention of saving Zack from any further embarrassment, Tifa decided to interject on his behalf.

"Is there anything else I can get you two?"

"N-no thanks."

"Let me know if you need anything!"

Zack leveled Tifa with a pleading look.

"Tell me she was joking."

"Unfortunately for you she wasn't. I was going to say something until I saw you start to eat it. Then I thought it would be better if I didn't say anything since you had already put it in your mouth."

"Maaaaan. I know they used to feed this stuff to Chocobos, but do they really use it to...uh...you know...?"

"I hate to break it to you, but yes. It really is for that purpose."

Raking a hand through his hair, Zack stared down at his plate with an apprehensive look.

"Ugh...how can I be sure this is really chicken now and not Chocobo meat? Or how about that beef over there? Maybe it's really Midgar Zolom meat or something!"

Unbeknownst to poor, unsuspecting Zack, Mrs. Kang had reappeared behind him and upon hearing his guesses at what was really in her lunch special, she punched him quite soundly in the shoulder.

Mrs. Kang could hit quite well for an old lady.

"For your information, Mr. Fair, I'm quite confident that the board of health would not allow me to serve my customers Midgar Zoloms. Moreover, there are some places where Chocoburgers are considered a delicacy. But if it at all puts your mind at ease, rest assured that my chicken is actually chicken, and my beef comes from cow."

Rubbing his shoulder gingerly, Zack shot her a sheepish grin.

"Sorry, ma'am. I was just a little taken aback by the inclusion of Chocobo breed feed in my lunch. I didn't mean any offense."

"Ha ha! I like that one! 'Chocobo Breed Feed'! For a while now we've been marketing it as Herbal Invigoration, but now that I've heard that one, I'm quite sure we'll be calling it that from now on. That'll make us square."

With a gleeful cackle and a much gentler smack to Zack's shoulder Mrs. Kang was off to change the daily side special from "Herbal Invigoration" to "Chocobo Breed Feed", courtesy of Zack.

"Well look at you go. You're quite the witty one, aren't you?"

"I do what I can."

Tifa's smile soon melted into an awkward scowl as she glanced at something over Zack's shoulder that she never hoped to see; Cloud and Aeris walking in -- hand in hand -- smiling. She quickly tucked her head down and stared at the food in front of her rather intently. Zack noticed Tifa's sudden intense interest in her barbecue beef and made a motion that looked like he was stretching. In actuality he was turning just far enough to see what had silenced Tifa. His eyes narrowed as he saw the happy couple. It wasn't jealousy that caused him to react the way he did, but he was indignant on Tifa's behalf. What in the world had Cloud been thinking when he sent Tifa to make deliveries at the same place he intended to take Aeris to for lunch?

"Hey, didn't you say you have errands to run? Should we go?"

Trying not to draw attention to herself she nodded her assent.

"What about Mrs. Kang? Shouldn't we at least thank her for the meal?"

"Don't worry about it, I'll go tell her. You just go to the truck and I'll meet you there."

"Alright."

Carefully slipping out of the restaurant before Cloud and Aeris could notice, Tifa went to the truck and sat in the driver's seat, resting her head on her arms which were folded over the steering wheel. Although she felt the sting of tears building up behind her eyes she refused to let them come out. If for no other reason than that she knew once they started, she would not be able to stop them.

Zack went around back and called to Mrs. Kang. She was busy frying up a batch of food and the sound of sizzling forced her to speak much louder than usual.

"Where's Tifa?"

"She wasn't feeling so hot so she went to the car. She told me to tell you that lunch was great and that she's sorry she didn't come to say goodbye herself."

"Tell her I said not to worry about it! You take care of her, okay?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Don't be shy! Stop by again!"

"Bye, Mrs. Kang!"

Zack was on his way out of the front door when Cloud almost ran right into him coming out of the bathroom.

"Oh hey Zack."

The older man looked at the blonde cooly.

"Hey."

"What are you doing here?"

"Oh, just grabbing lunch."

"Cool. Any suggestions on what's good to eat?"

"I'd recommend the Chocobo Breed Feed. It's pretty good."

"What's in it?"

"I'm not sure. Anyway, I gotta go. Catch ya later."

"Okay, bye."

Cloud scratched his head in confusion. He wasn't used to Zack being quite so distant. Usually he was a little friendlier.

"Oh well. Must be an off day for him or something."

Shrugging it off he returned to the table, Aeris smiling at him adoringly.


	5. Driven Drives and Thinking Thoughts

Disclaimer: Same as always!

"Oh, Cloud! I didn't know you knew that young man."

Mrs. Kang seemed to be pleasantly surprised as she started setting down appetizers for he and Aeris.

"Yeah, he's a friend of mine."

"Good. He and his lady-friend hardly ate a thing! They were out the door before I could think well enough to box up their leftovers for them. Could you please run this out to them for me?"

"Sure."

Cloud took the package of food from Mrs. Kang, slightly confused. He hadn't seen anyone walk out with Zack. Who could it have been?

It wasn't until he saw the dark-haired man climb into an all-too familiar truck that Cloud had realized who he had been with. Hesitating for only a second, the blonde dashed over to the truck just as Tifa had started it up. He knocked on the side of the bed to grab her attention. She, in turn, stuck her head out of the window, annoyed that someone had the nerve to rap so obnoxiously on her vehicle, then paled at the sight of Cloud.

Coming up to the window, Cloud shot the two a tentative smile.

"Hey Teef, Mrs. Kang sent me out to give this you guys. It's your leftovers. I guess she didn't want them to go to waste."

Tifa tried her best to steady her trembling hand as she accepted the plastic bag. Unable to even force a smile at Cloud she muttered a hushed "Thank you."

"Oh, and Zack! Thanks for helping Tifa out with the deliveries. I was worried how she was going to manage all of that by herself."

Zack shot Cloud a look that seethed with annoyance and confusion. He prayed to Shiva that Cloud was genuinely oblivious and not purposely acting like an idiot. Even under the current circumstances there was no way that the older man could comprehend why his best friend was behaving so foolishly.

Tifa busied herself by getting out of the truck and walking away for a second, calling the next client on the list to let them know that their delivery was on its way. Zack followed suit and counted on the low growl of the idling engine to muffle his voice so that Tifa wouldn't hear. Walking around the front of the truck he leveled Cloud with a look that was undeniably intimidating, even for a guy as tough as the blonde.

"Is something wrong?"

"What do you mean 'is something wrong'?! Are you crazy?!"

"I don't understand."

"I can't believe you, man! What were you thinking?"

"What...?"

"You sent Tifa to do your deliveries today so you could go off on a date with Aeris? Did you tell her that specifically?"

".......Yes."

"You know how she feels about you!"

"......I know."

"And then you have the nerve to bring Aeris here to have lunch? Even though you knew Tifa had to deliver stuff here too?"

"I thought she would be making them a little later. She told me that Barret took the kids out today so I assumed she wouldn't get here til much later."

"Maaaan..." Catching sight of Tifa walking back, Zack made an effort to wrap things up. "Look, I understand that you're happy about everything that's happened in the past couple of months. Believe me, I am too. But there are other things you gotta consider, alright? We'll talk more about this later."

Cloud looked a bit crestfallen at the unusual scolding from his friend.

"I'll call you later."

The younger man nodded his assent, not knowing what else to do. He certainly couldn't avoid Zack's wrath forever.

Zack opted to climb into the driver's seat, not knowing if Tifa was in any condition to drive. Sure it seemed like a minor thing, but she was really hurting, and if Cloud was too blind to see it then someone surely needed to point that out to him. Tifa climbed into the passenger's side, her face pointed in the opposite direction of where Cloud stood.

"I guess I'll see you guys later."

"Later."

With that, Zack sped off, leaving Cloud to look a bit dejected in the parking lot. He could clearly see the blonde in the rearview mirror, dumbstruck and still from the reprimand; but it wasn't long before the spiky-headed figure moseyed back into the restaurant and out of sight. Zack rested his elbow in the frame of the rolled-down window, hoping the wind whipping into the car would cool his boiling temper. Normally he was a pretty rational guy – very passionate, but not one to anger very easily. Unfortunately for his pal, he hated to see girls cry, and when he noticed his companion's shaking shoulders, he couldn't help but get more and more upset.

Pulling off to the side of the road, Zack reached over and turned Tifa's face towards him. There were tears gathering in her eyes and shining tracks where the ones before them had fallen. He wiped at the spot right below her shimmering eyes gently with his thumb.

"It's alright..."

"No it's not! Why would he do that to me? To us? Don't you see what I mean now, Zack? Do you get what I was trying to tell you last night, now?"

"Maybe he wasn't thinking."

"I heard you two, Zack. He was full of excuses. How can you make more for him?"

"I don't mean to. I just...don't know what to say."

Tifa buried her face in Zack's shoulder and sobbed. Putting an arm around her he rubbed her back soothingly, trying to pacify the cries that wracked her body.

When she finally regained her composure, she couldn't look Zack in the eye. Pulling away from him she felt embarrassed and foolish. They had just started to become better friends and here she was, turning into a train wreck right before his eyes. She couldn't believe herself – her weakness.

He read her like a book.

"Right now I know you're hurting. You probably even think I'm judging you for breaking down. I know that we've had some pretty bad differences in the past, but you have to trust me when I say I'm here for you and I won't let you down. You forgave me for what's in the past, and I've done the same. I don't know why Cloud is acting the way he is but I do know that it's eating at you. You can count on me though, because you're my friend. And that's what friends are for. To be there for each other."

Tifa looked up at him with fresh tears streaming down her face. Before she knew what she was doing she felt the sensation of another pair of lips against hers...

_What am I thinking...?_


	6. Tea Party

Disclaimer: Same as always!

A/N: Thanks for sticking with me guys! I know it's been a long time, but it'll be worth all the time you waited! (At least I hope so...)

Just as quickly as Tifa had started the kiss, she ended it. She had no idea what she had been thinking. She turned her face away from him to stare out the window – embarrassed. The brunette couldn't even begin to fathom why her jumbled emotions decided to sublimate themselves through the lure of Zack's perfectly pouty lips. Zack was looking at her with downcast eyes. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel at least a little something for his friend, but it was far too early to be doing anything with her in that respect. Moreover, she was having a hard time coping with all the things that were being forced upon her; it would have been more than dishonorable to take advantage of her when she was so vulnerable like this.

Leaning over the center console of the truck, he tucked a stray lock of Tifa's hair behind her ear and gently brought her gaze back to him again.

"Hey. Talk to me."

"I...Zack...I'm so embarrassed..."

"Look, don't be. It's alright. I know this is a hard time for you and your emotions are a mess. It's fine."

"I didn't mean to do something like that. I just...I don't...Is it okay if you just take me home?"

"No problemo. Just give me the list of the deliveries that need to be done and I'll take care of them after I drop you off. I'll swing by when I'm finished to return the truck and see how you're doing. Okay?"

"Zack, thank you. And I'm so sorry for being such a wreck." She half-heartedly punched the dashboard. "I hate being this weak!"

"There's nothing wrong with having feelings, Tifa. The sooner you see that the easier it'll be for you to find some closure and peace of mind."

The ride home was filled with silence, save the hum of the engine and the wind whipping in through the open windows. Zack concentrated on the road while Tifa continued to stare out the window. It didn't take him very long to get back to Tifa's place where she gave him the names and addresses of the rest of the clients and where to pick up each thing to be delivered. Taking the time to walk her in and settle her with a cup of tea, he assured her that he would be back as soon as he could and that she should call if she could think of anything she needed.

Before Zack started on his errand-run, he decided it might be a good opportunity to pay a visit to his currently least-favorite blonde. Pulling a PHS out of his pocket he dialed Cloud's number. After a few rings his friend answered.

"Hey, Zack."

"Hey, where are you?"

"I'm still at the Wall Market with Aeris. Why?"

"I hate to break up your little date, but could you do me a favor and take her home then meet me at Kalm Cafe? There are a couple of things I need to talk about with you."

"Uh...sure. I'll meet you there in half an hour."

"Okay. See you then."

Cloud turned around to find Aeris looking at him intently.

"Was that Zack?"

"Yeah..."

"What did he want?"

"He wants to meet me at Kalm Cafe. He says there are some things he needs to talk about with me."

"But Cloud, this is our time together. I thought you said you took the day off specially to be with me – the whole day."

"I know, I'm sorry. I really don't think it would be a good idea to blow him off though."

Aeris pouted a little. Even though Cloud was around a lot more now that they were going out, she still had a hard time coping with the demands of his schedule as a delivery-boy. Sometimes he would be gone for days on end; and on those days that he was able to get home before nightfall he was usually too tired to go out and do anything fun with her. She had really been looking forward to spending some quality time with him.

"Is this about what happened back at Mrs. Kang's?"

"I think so."

"He sure is concerned about Tifa."

The green-eyed woman felt a pang of jealousy at the realization. Sure, she had been the one who decided that there was no chance of a relationship between her and Zack, but still – there was something in her that remembered a time when all his attentions and affections were hers.

Cloud felt a stab of the same feeling rush through him at what his girlfriend had said. Even though he knew that he had no right to be upset, there was still a nagging sense of bitterness that his best friend might be getting too involved with a woman who at one point – and in a sense, still was – dedicated to him and a him alone.

Both let the uncomfortable silence pass, hoping the other didn't notice the hesitation.

"I promise I'll make it up to you. I just can't avoid him right now otherwise he's just going to get more upset. You know how he can get sometimes."

Aeris nodded her head sympathetically and grasped his hand in hers.

"Alright. You do what you have to do. But hurry home, okay? Maybe we can still do something after you see him."

Cloud nodded his assent as he led her back to his motorcycle.

* * *

When Cloud finally arrived at the cafe Zack was already sitting with a caramel iced-coffee in front of him. He was leaning back in one of his trademark casual poses, but the blonde could tell from the get-go that the black-haired man was anything but relaxed. Flagging down a waitress and ordering himself a Moroccan mint tea, he almost seemed to shrink into his seat once he and his friend were alone.

"So...what's up?"

"Not much. Just thought we should meet up for a little talk."

"About what?"

"Certain recent developments."

Both men went silent until the waitress reappeared with a mug full of the frothy green drink for Cloud. Thanking her, the blonde fell silent as his steely-eyed friend started in on him in a low, growling fury.

"Just what do you think you're doing Cloud?"

"I don't understand what you mean."

"What do you mean you don't understand? Do I have to spell it out for you like you were a child or something?"

"If that would help me understand exactly why you're so irate with me, then yes. Please do."

"How could you do this to Tifa?"

"So that's what this is about? I thought so...look, why don't you just mind your own business?"

"You ARE my business, whether you like it or not. I'm only telling you this because you're my best friend and I don't want you to look like you're trying to be a bad guy on purpose. But let me tell you something, sending a girl who is hopelessly in love with you on deliveries to a place where you plan to take your new girlfriend out to lunch is not one of the smartest things I've ever seen you do."

"I already explained to you, I didn't do it on purpose. It was an accident – an honest mistake."

"Oh yeah? That's a pretty lame mistake to make if you ask me. What would you do if the situation were turned around? How would that make you feel?"

"Is this even about Tifa? Or are you just mad because I'm with Aeris?"

"Are you kidding me? Are you REALLY asking me that question?"

Cloud was getting angrier by the second. He didn't know why, but there was something that bothered him deeply about Zack's immense amount of concern for Tifa. He wanted to make his best friend hurt, and he couldn't even come up with a reason. Locking eyes with the older man defiantly, he replied.

"Maybe I am."

Reaching across the table and grabbing Cloud by the collar, he yanked the startled blonde across, knocking over their drinks and alarming everyone around them.

"You listen to me, Cloud, and you listen good. I don't have a problem with you dating Aeris at all. I'm happy that you two are getting along so well. So don't you EVER accuse me of trying to pawn off jealousy as concern for Tifa. Are you seriously too blind to see that she's still not over you and that every time she has to face the fact that you're not hers it hurts like Hell? Especially because she was the one who was with you after everyone had thought Aeris had died! Do you honestly lack the fundamental compassion to understand where all that pain comes from?!"

"Excuse me, sirs? C-could you please stop causing a commotion? Otherwise I – I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Releasing the younger man, Zack shot the waitress an apologetic look as she tried to mop up the mess he'd made before swiftly skittering away.

"Zack...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I was just really upset because...because I don't know."

"Don't know what?"

"I feel like I can tell you anything, that's why I'm saying this; I realized that something inside of me is kind of jealous that you and Tifa are getting so close. Don't get me wrong – I'm completely in love with Aeris – but there's still something in me that misses Tifa doting on me all the time. And seeing you two together, and seeing how concerned you are for her...it just...it just sets off this strange feeling inside of me."

"I get it. I'm human too, you know. I'd be lying if I said that I don't get a little jealous seeing the woman I loved so happy with you...but you know, these are real emotions we're talking about. You can't just string both of them along because you like the attention. And trust me, I'm not out to make time with Tifa, I'm trying very hard to be a good friend to her. That doesn't go to say that if she doesn't want something more that I wouldn't be interested," Zack's mind wandered back to the kiss earlier in the day, "But there's no funny business on my part. It's all in her hands right now."

"I know you'd be good to her. Maybe that's the part I hate most about it."

"So you've got feelings too, huh?"

Leaning over, he ruffled the already feathery mane of hair atop Cloud's head.

"I'm sorry I lost my temper. Let's all just try to be a little more considerate of one another. Alright?"

"Sounds fair to me. By the way, do you have a shirt I could borrow? This one's got green stuff all over it now."

Zack let a low chuckle rumble in his throat.

"Still a country boy at heart."

Although Cloud didn't really understand the connection between what he asked and what Zack said, he couldn't help but feel as though a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Knowing that Zack wasn't murderously upset at him was a great feeling...but there was also a little part of him that was relieved that the older man wasn't trying to put the moves on Tifa. Even as he licked a spatter of tea off his face that was the same lustrous green as the eyes of his beloved girlfriend, he couldn't fathom why.


	7. Deal Breaker

Disclaimer: Same as always! All these many years later and I still don't own anything...sigh

A/N: Hey all! It's been a while! For those of you who have read and/or reviewed, thanks for your continued support! It's because of you I'm back and better than ever (hopefully)! Enjoy!

Cloud was pleased that his little rendevouz with Zack hadn't taken long. It afforded him more time to spend with Aeris on their day together. When he walked in the door at her house he found her napping on the couch. Kneeling beside her, he kissed her gently on the forehead to wake her.

"Oh Cloud, you're back! What time is it?"

"Still early. I was only gone for about an hour."  
"Is that...Zack's shirt?"

The silver foil Black Mages logo gave him away.

"Yeah. He loaned me his shirt. I spilled my drink all over mine."  
"You went out for drinks?"

"Well, not exactly."

Aeris noticed how Cloud started to fidget nervously.

"What did he want?"  
"It was about what happened earlier at the restaurant."  
"Oh..."

"He just wanted to make sure my head's in the right place with you and me...and that I wasn't being mean to Tifa on purpose. That's all."

Color flared into Aeris' cheeks and her eyes narrowed at the accusation.

"Did he really say that? He accused you of trying to make Tifa jealous on purpose?"

"What? No. I just meant he wanted to make sure that I know how Tifa feels and that I'm not just being insensitive."

"And what did you say?"

"I told him the truth. I know how Tifa feels and I'm not trying to be a jerk. I'm just...happy to have you."

Aeris' expression softened as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Almost a little too wistfully, she mentioned how Cloud smelled like Zack. Biting back the pang of jealousy he felt, he responded playfully.

"Wanna keep his shirt? I'm sure he won't miss it."  
"Only if it gives you a reason to take it off..."  
Cloud smiled into her hair and hugged her tighter.

It was only evening by the time Zack finished the deliveries and headed back to 7th Heaven. Tifa was just about to start dinner so that she could eat and open shop for the nighttime crowd when she heard the truck pull up. She opened the door before Zack could even knock.

"How're you doing?"

"Good. How were the deliveries?"

"Not bad at all. If you're ever hiring for an extra driver..." He let his sentence trail off, remembering exactly why he had been making the deliveries today.

"Oh right! The delivery fees." He pulled out a wad of gil and handed it to her.

"Thanks. Hey, I was just getting dinner started. You're welcome to join me if you have the time."

"I'd love to. What's for dinner?"

"Spaghetti."

"Italian. Your favorite."

"Delicious. _Your_ favorite."

He grinned at her and followed her into the house.

"Where are the kids?"

"Staying over at Barret's. He called to let me know they'll be back tomorrow morning."

"With Marlene gone for the night, I'll bet you're short a bartender then, aren't you?"

Zack had taken a seat at the kitchen table while casually watching Tifa prepare dinner.

"What are you getting at?"

"Hire me for the night." Realizing how odd his proposition sounded, he reworded the suggestion. "As a bartender, I mean."

"Do you even know how?"

"Sure. I did a little work as a bartender at the Golden Saucer while I was still doing mercenary jobs."  
"There's just one other little problem then. I don't pay Marlene."

Trying hard to conceal his impish smile, he shot a feigned look of seriousness back at the brunette.

"Well you don't have to pay me either. I'm not asking for money."

"What do you want then?"

He remembered his words from earlier, when he told Cloud he wasn't trying to make time with Tifa. It caused him to hesitate, but not silence his request altogether.

"A date. Just one."

Tifa's back was towards Zack, and she was glad for it. She knew there was a weird expression on her face. It's not that she didn't want to go on a date with him – who wouldn't? He was cute, charming, funny...and judging by today's interactions, thoughtful...but she was still reeling from all that had happened with Cloud, and wasn't sure of what she wanted. She wasn't sure if she really liked Zack, or if he would end up just being the "Rebound Guy".

...But when she turned turned that thought over in her head, it didn't sound right. He wouldn't be the "Rebound Guy" and she knew it.

Zack was waiting anxiously on her response. There was a knot in the pit of his stomach screaming at him that he'd just screwed up.

_Damn!_

"Too soon?"

Forgetting that he was waiting for an answer, she was startled out of her thoughts by the question.

"I was actually trying to decide that myself."

"And what did yourself decide?"

"No, it's not too soon. You've got a deal."

Zack beamed and pumped a fist in the air victoriously.

"Yes!"

She grinned at him while plating the noodles.

"Eat up, we close late tonight."


	8. Xs and Ohs

Disclaimer: Same as usual

A/N: Thanks for all the hits and reviews! Also, a character makes a brief appearance in this chapter bearing the same name and description as another character who appeared in the game. They are not the same person, but mine was definitely based off of the original! ;)

There were no two ways about it. Zack was an impressive bartender.

The patrons of 7th Heaven weren't the type to expect flashy spins or bottle tricks when they ordered their drinks, but that's just what Zack gave them. Tifa smiled to herself as the regulars gave a loud cheer at another successful round of drinks served. He caught her eye and winked as a silly grin bloomed across her face.

"Eyes up here, handsome."

A sultry-looking blonde had taken a seat at the bar stool directly in front him.

"Hi there. What can I get for you?"

"Got anything that matches those pretty blues of yours?"

Tifa's ears perked up at the blonde's advances on Zack. She felt an inexplicable jolt of anger and jealousy surge through her.

"Well, I do know a drink called the Junon Tidal Wave. It's got blue vanilla syrup, salt and curacao."

"I'll take one. Of both you and the drink."

He returned her smug smile with a strained grin that almost looked like a grimace.

"The name's Scarlet, by the way."

"I'm Zack. Pleased to meet you."

He mixed her drink and placed it in front of her.

"I assure you, Zack, the pleasure's all mine."

"Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"Your number."

Scarlet's advances were making him the slightest bit uncomfortable. It had always made him feel awkward when girls were too aggressive in pursuing him.

"Sorry, miss. No can do."

"Why ever not?"

He glanced over at the beautiful brunette, who seemed to be slamming down drinks on the counter a little harder than necessary. Her barely-concealed anger was adorable. Subtly grabbing her attention once more, he shot Tifa a reassuring smile.

"Because I've already got my eye on someone else."

Leaning in closer, Scarlet dropped her voice to a purr, her lips almost grazing Zack's earlobe.

"And I couldn't change your mind?"

"No."

Smirking for a moment, she suddenly let out a wail.

"Get your hands off of me!"

"Wha...?"

She had started shrieking indignantly and making a scene. Zack put his hands up and in front of himself defensively while backing away from the hysterical woman. Tifa, on the other hand, was taking long, perturbed strides across the bar towards Scarlet. She tapped the blonde on the shoulder and shot her a cold look.

"Is there a problem?"

"I want to speak to this man's manager! He tried to grope me!"

"What? I did no such thing!" Zack cried out in protest.

"That's a bold-faced lie, lady." Another patron chimed in. "I was sitting here the whole time. All he did was serve your drink and turn you down."

The silent patrons exploded into laughter.

"I am his manager. And I saw he whole thing." Tifa spat between clenched teeth. "How dare you come into my bar and start a scene by accusing my bartender of something he didn't do just because he wasn't interested in you. I would strongly recommend you leave before I have to escort you out myself."

At this, Scarlet hauled back and slapped Tifa in the face. The entire bar let out a collective gasp of shock. Tifa responded in kind with a slap so hard the resultant "_crack_" resonated off the walls and sent Scarlet sprawling on her rear. Zack's eyes went wide as he tried to stifle a giggle.

"You bitch!"

Scarlet scrambled to her feet and and was about to lunge at Tifa when Zack intervened.

"That's enough." He said sternly. "I think you should go home. And if I were you, I wouldn't show my face around here again."

With a huff, the other woman turned around and stomped out of the bar. Everyone started chattering all at once about what had just happened.

"Did you see that?"

"That-a girl, Teef!"

"Dang, but she got that hussy good!"

Tifa smiled sheepishly to herself as she went back to clearing tables. Zack had hopped on the bar and addressed the crowd.

"I trust you all to behave while I go make sure our lady of the hour is alright."

A few cheers and raised glasses followed. The blue-eyed bartender hopped down and grabbed a towel, wrapping some ice cubes in it. He then proceeded to walk over to Tifa and hand her the makeshift ice-pack. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"You okay?"

She waved the towel away and shrugged dismissively.

"It'll take more than that to put me out."

"Sorry for the trouble I caused."

"It's not your fault."

"I promise I'll make it up to you when we go on our date."

"Oh, really? And how do you intend to do that?"

"Well, I'd start with something like this."

He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Eh?"

"Kiss and make it better?"

It was at that moment that Cloud had come home. His eyes flashed dangerously as he saw his friend dip his head down to touch his lips to Tifa's face. He almost shouted, but remembered himself. Remembered that he had a girlfriend, and that whoever Tifa let kiss her was none of his business.

_But...he...he told me he wasn't trying to get into anything with her. Was he lying to me?_

Tifa caught sight of the blond and waved at him, breaking him out of his thoughts. She was feeling so good, just seeing Cloud didn't hurt as much as it had before.

Cloud returned her gesture with a small wave of his own. It was only when she had turned away to answer a customer's request for a refill did his lips purse into a tight line as his eyes met Zack's. And despite the day he'd just spent with the girl he was always after, he couldn't keep the malice or accusation out of his glare.


	9. We Need A Resolution

A/N: Hey all. Back again with another chapter of the fic! Happy Holidays!

Disclaimer: Same as always!

Cloud turned on his heel and stomped up the stairs, his boots banging out a heavy staccato. Zack shook his head and turned back to the bar. He understood where the blond was coming from, but it didn't make his behavior seem any less infantile. He shot Cloud a quick text on his PHS before heading back to his duties.

Cloud's PHS gave a low buzz and a beep. He was irritated to find a text from Zack waiting for him.

"_Green's not a good color on you._"

Snapping it shut, Cloud threw his PHS across the room.

"He lied to me. My _best friend_ lied to me." Cloud raked a hand through his hair in frustration.

"That's kind of selfish of you...don't you think?"

"Who's there?"

"No one's 'there'. It's just me. And I'm you. Over here, by the mirror."

Cloud gazed into the mirror and found himself staring at a younger version of himself.

"Why are you all bent out of shape?"

"Why wouldn't I be? He promised me he wasn't trying to make a move on Tifa."

"And what right do you have to be mad about it if he did? Aren't you with the one you've always wanted? And isn't that the girl that Zack was in love with?"

"She chose me."

"And Tifa's chosen Zack. Get over yourself."

Cloud put his fist through the mirror.

Tifa's keen ears had picked up on the sound of breaking glass. Dashing up the stairs she burst into Cloud's room. Pieces of the mirror were scattered around the blond's feet. His hand was bleeding heavily, and he was panting in rage.

"Cloud, are you alright?"

"Do I look alright to you?"

Tifa's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Don't take that tone with me. I heard glass breaking and just wanted to make sure you were okay. But if you're going to be a jerk, I don't have time for this."

Just as Tifa turned to leave, Cloud grabbed her by the wrist and spun her into his arms. He used his unbloodied hand to stroke her hair. She took a deep breath and gently – but firmly – pushed him away.

"No, Cloud. I won't do that to Aeris. I won't do that to myself. If you want me...If you've ever wanted me...It's too late now. I'm forcing myself to move on."

"I..."

"It wasn't until today that I realized just how selfish you could be. You never tried to be my hero because you were too afraid of failing. You ran away when you had the Stigma because you were too afraid of looking weak. You didn't try to spare my feelings because you were too afraid to acknowledge them. And maybe because my whole world was all about you, I never noticed. But it's just about you anymore. You'll always have a place in my heart, but from now on...I'm going to make sure I look out for me."

An awkward silence filled the air. Cloud's eyes were downcast, and he looked fairly sad and ashamed. It wasn't until a few moments passed that Cloud finally spoke up.

"I understand. And Tifa...I'm sorry. For everything. You've always been there for me. You're right. I am, and have been, very selfish. I just...missed you. That's all. You and Zack have been getting closer and I got jealous. I know I have no right to be. And I think maybe I've just been bitter. When we were just kids, sitting at the well in Nibelheim, I was in love with you. I'd wanted you so much. And you'd never felt the same about me. So when the time came where you finally wanted me, I wished you'd realized it sooner. And maybe a small part of me wanted you to know what it felt like to love someone hopelessly...but love them nonetheless. I'm sorry."

Moving closer to him, she gave him a gentle hug and a peck on the cheek.

"You don't have to be sorry. We've both grown up and learned a lot in these past few years. And that's the important part. Can't learn from the mistakes we don't make, right?"

Cloud nodded his assent.

"Good. Now come on, let's get you cleaned up."

Zack stood outside the door, leaning against the wall in the hallway. He smiled quietly to himself.

_Closure is a wonderful thing._


End file.
